Leica LTM Oil on aperture blades?

[Fabian]

As I have heard people talking about it, I was wondering how serious this problem is, and what could happen in a worst case szenario?
I have a little oil on the blades of my Summitar. But the rest of the lens is so great that I don't really want to sent it in.
Any advice?


Thanks
Fabian

 

[Spyderman]

Once a camera repairman told me that the FSU lenses need oil on aperture blades. I have 3 FSU lenses, of which 2 have oil on blades. Those 2 are Jupiter 8 in LTM and Helios 44 in M42. In both the aperture works soooo smooooth. The third lens, without oil, is an Industar 61. The aperture has click-stops, and is soooo hard to move. You guess which ones I like more... sure the Jupiter.

If the oil is not on glass, I wouldn't bother cleaning it.

 

[Kim Coxon]

Oil is a killer on SLR lenses because of the stop down mechanism. It makes them too sluggish. As all RF lens (I think) are manually set, it is not a problem even though most are designed to operate without.

Kim

 

[John Shriver]

The concern I would have on a Summitar is that if it's old oil, it's not nice stuff to have in your lens. Breaks down, evaporates, condenses on the glass, encourages fungus, etc. If it's a modern oil, its not as much of a problem. If there's very little, I'd be less concerned.

It is a very quick repair for a competent repairman to clean them and the facing lens surfaces. If your Summitar is good, and especially if it's coated (with the very soft early Leitz coatings), it would be money well spent.

One other note, so long as the oil is there, be very careful never to force the aperture ring. If the oil should cause two blades to stick, you could easily bend one blade, or rip the pins out of it.